Corn-planter.



P. P MURPHEY.

CORN PLANTER. APPLICATION FILED DEG.19, 1907.

1,076,145. Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANonRAl-n C0..WASNINOTON. D, c

F. P. MURPHEY.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.19, 1907.

1,076,145. Patented 001;. 21, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

i////////////IA I/II/II/I/I/I/IIIIAV/IIII UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK P. MURPHEY, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO EMERSON-BRANTINGHAMCOMPANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CORN-PLANTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

Application filed December 19, 1907. Serial No. 407,111.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. MURrHnY, a citizen of the United States,and a resi dent of Decatur, county of Macon, State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in CornPlanters, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to corn planters and more particularly to the seeddelivery mechanism therefor and seeks to provide improved means foraccurately feeding the kernels to the single cells of the seed plate,and to provide improved valve mechanism for delivering the accumulatedkernels from the boot.

The invention consists in the features of improvements hereinafter setforth, illustrated in the preferred form in the accompanying drawingsand more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in section of a corn planter towhich the present improvements are applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of theimproved seeding mechanism with parts in section on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 3-3 and 1 1 respectivelyof Fig. 2, and Figs. 5 and 6 are detail. sections on the lines 55 and 66 respectively of Fig. 2.

The machine frame may be of any suitabl type. In the form shown, theimproved seeding mechanism is mounted on frame bars 26 and 27. Adepending brace bar 29 is connected to the forward end of afurrowopening shoe 80 and the rear end of the shoe is connected to thelower end of a boot 31. The upper end of the boot extends between theframe bars 26 and 27 and is connected thereto by bolts 82 and 38 (seeFig. 4).

The seed box or hopper is connected by a hinge piece 66 to a bracket 67on the bar 27. A support 68 for the seed box is connected by screws 69and 70 to the upper end of the boot or discharge chute 31 and to thebracket 67. The seed box is held in normal position by a bolt 71 pivotedon the cross-bolt 32 and arranged to engage a slotted lug 72 on the feedbox. A winged nut 73 on the bolt 71 is arranged to engage the lug 72 andsecurely hold the seed box in position.

The rotary seed plate 7 4 is arranged within a ring 75 in the lowerportion of the seed box and rests upon an annular plate 76 forming thebottom of the box. The seed plate is provided in its edge with acircular or elliptical series of seed cells 77 that are adapted toreceive single kernels edgewise.

An agitator plate or disk 78 is arranged within the circular series ofcells and this agitator plate is preferably recessed in the upper faceof the seed plate as shown in Fig. 4 so that the upper faces of the seedplate and agitator plate are substantially in the same plane. The seedand agitator plates are concentrically arranged and the agitator plateis provided on its upper face with a number of projecting, spiral ribs79 which are arranged to force the kernels outwardly into the cells ofthe plate.

The seed plate and the agitator plate are held in position in the bottomof the seed box by a cap plate 80 which is connected to the ring 75 by aseries of cross pieces 81 and the agitator plate is journaled as shownupon a stud 82 depending from the cap plate. A beveled gear 83 formed onthe under side of the agitator plate 78 is arranged to engage the teethof a beveled gear 84 that is fixed to one end of a short hori zontalshaft 85 that is fixed to the outer side bar 27 of the auxiliary frame.At its outer end, the shaft 85 is provided with a beveled gear 87 and asprocket wheel 88 which are preferably formed in one piece as shown inFig. 3. The small beveled gear or pinion 87 meshes with a largehorizontal, beveled gear 89. This gear 89 is provided with an upwardlyprojecting flange 90 which extends through a ring 91 in the upperportion of the fixed box support 68 and through a central opening in thefeed-box bottom 76 into engagement with the seed plate 7% Any suitablearrangement of interlocking lugs and notches may be provided between theseed plate 74 and the flange 90 of the gear 89 so that the seed plate isrotated with the gear. Gear 89 is provided with an outwardly projectingflange 92 which abuts against the under side of the ring 91 and which,at one side, on gages a groove 93 formed in the seed box support 68. Atthe opposite side, the gear 89 is upheld in position by a pair ofsupporting arms 94. that are secured to the flange of the seed boxsupport 68.

The seed box support 68 and the seed box bottom 76 are provided withregister ing discharge openings 95 and 96 respectively which lead to thedischarge boot or chute 31. A cut-off casing 97 is arranged within theseed box above the discharge openings 95 and 96 and above one portion.of the seed plate. This casing 97 is secured to the ring 75 at thebottom of the seed box by a pair of bolts 98 and 99. Upon the bolt 98,which extends through the central portion of the cut-off casing, ismounted a cut off 100 and an ejector 101. The parts are pivoted on thebolt 98 and extend downwardly toward the seed plate in oppositedirections. A spring 102 coiled upon the hubs of the cut-olf and theejector has its ends bent respectively over these parts so that thecut-off and ejector are yieldingly held into engagement with the seedplate 74. The cut-off 100 is arranged to remove any kernels in excess ofone in the seed cell 77 and project the same outwardly through anopening 103 in the cut-01f casing 97 back into the seed box. The ejector101 is ar ranged to project successively into the seed cells 77 andforce the kernels therefrom through the discharge openings 90 and 95into the discharge chute 31.

Upper and lower valves are arranged within the discharge chute 31 andthese valves preferably consist of plates 104 and 105 see Fig. 1 ofspring metal that are secured at their upper rear edges to brackets 106,each of which is secured in position wihin the boot or chute 31 by apair of pins 10 When the planter is used for checkrow planting thespring plates or valves 104 and 105 are arranged as shown in Fig. 1 withthe lower front edge of the valve 105 engaging the front wall of thedischarge chute 31 and with the lower front edge of the valve 104engaging a valve-operating member or plunger 108. The lowermost pin 107of each pair may be removed and the valve or spring plates 104 and 105can then be swung backwardly and held in inoperative position byreinserting the pins in the holes 109. The valves are so shifted toinoperative position when the planter is to be used for drill planting.In checkrow planting the valves 104 and 105 are operated by thereciprocating plunger 108 which is arranged against the front wall ofthe discharge chute and fits snugly between the side walls thereof. Thelower valve 105 is operated by the lower end of the plunger 108 whilethe. upper valve 104 is operated by a shoulder 110 formed on one face ofthe plunger. The plunger is operated by a connecting rod 111 (see Fig.3) which is connected at its upper end to an eccentric crank pin 112 onthe gear 84 and at its lower end to a pin 113 which is fixed to theupper end of the valve-operating plunger 108 and projects outwardlytherefrom through a vertical slot 114 in the side wall of the dischargechute or boot 31.

The seeding mechanism is driven by a chain 115 which passes over thesprocket wheel 88. This chain is driven in any suit able manner from thesupporting wheels of the planter through the medium of the usual clutchmechanism controlled by the checkrow forks. At each operation of themachine the shaft 85 is rotated through a single revolution. Thismovement of the shaft is sutiicient to rotate the seed plate throughone-quarter of a revolution and the kernels are accumulated, one at atime, in the well known manner upon the upper valve 104 of the dischargechute. The movement of the shaft also reciprocates the plunger 108 andthe shoulder 110 thereon forces the kernels previously accumulated onthe upper valve 104 down on to the lower valve 105. The kernels on thelower valve 105 are, at the same time, forced outwardly by the lower endof the plunger into the ground.

The gears 84 and 83 for rotating the agitator plate or disk 78 are soarranged that the agitator plate is driven in a direction opposite tothat in which the seed plate 76 rotates, as indicated by the arrows inFig. 2. The agitator plate is also driven at a higher rate of speed thanis the seed plate. By this arrangement. the spiral ribs 79 on theagitator plate will effectively force the kernels outwardly into theseed cells 77 so that each cell is properly charged with a single kerneland uniform planting is assured. In drill planting, the valves 104 and105 in the discharge chute are shifted rear wardly to inoperativeposition, as described.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the details set forth withoutdeparture from the essentials of the invention, as defined in theclaims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a corn planter, the combination with a horizontal rotary seedplate having a circular series of cells formed in its outer edge andadapted to receive single kernels edgewise, of a horizontal rotaryagitator plate set within said series of cells and having a number ofspiral ribs for forcing the seed outwardly toward said cells. andmechanism for continuously rotating said seed plate and said agitatorplate in opposite direct-ions, substantially as described.

2. In a corn planter, the combination with a horizontal rotary seedplate having a series of cells formed in its outer edge and adapted toreceive single kernels edgewise, of a cap plate above said plate, ahorizontal rotary agitator plate arranged between said cap plate andsaid seed plate and having a series of ribs for forcing the seedoutwardly toward said cells, and mechanism for continuously rotatingsaid seed plate and said agitator plate in opposite directions, substantially as described.

3. In a corn planter, the combination with a seed plate having acircular series of cells, of an agitator plate arranged within saidcircular series of cells, the upper faces of said seed and agitatorplates being subs antially in the same plane, said agitator plate havinga number of projecting ribs on its upper face for forcing the seedoutwardly toward said cells, substantially as described.

4. In a corn planter, the combination with a rotary seed plate having aseries of cells in its outer edge adapted to receive single kernelsedgewise, of a rotary agitator plate arranged within said series ofcells, the upper faces of said seed and said agitator plates beingsubstantially in the same plane, and said agitator plate having a seriesof projecting spiral ribs on its upper face for forcing the seedoutwardly toward said cells, substantially as described.

In a corn planter, the combination with a rotary seed plate having acircular series of cells, of a rotary agitator plate arranged withinsaid circular series of cells, the upper faces of said seed and saidagitator plates being substantially in the same plane, said agitatorplate having a series of spiral, projet-ting ribs on its upper face forforcing the seed out 'ardly toward said cells. and mechanism forrotating said seed and said agi tator plates in opposite directions,substantially as described.

(3. In a corn planter, the combination with a horizontal, rotary seedplate having a circular series of cells in its outer edge adapted toreceive single kernels edgewisc, of a concentric, horizontal, rotaryagitator plate recessed in the upper face of said seed plate and havinga series of spiral ribs on its upper face for forcing the seed outwardlytoward said cells, substantially as described.

7. In a corn planter, the combination with a horizontal rotary seedplate having a circular series of cells in its outer edge adapted toreceive single kernels cdgewise, of a cap plate above said seed plate, aconcentric. horizontal. rotary agitator plate beneath said cap plate andrecessed in the upper face of said seed plate, said agitator platehaving a, series of spiral ribs on its upper face for forcing the seedoutwardly toward said cells. and mechanism for continuously rotatingsaid seed and agitator plates in opposite di rections, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a corn planter, the combination with a rotary seed plate having acircular series of cells, of a concentric, rotary agitator platearranged within said series of cells and having its upper facesubstantially in the same plane with the upper face of said seed plate.and means for driving said seed plate and said agitator plate inopposite directions, said agitator plate being provided with a series ofspiral ribs that are rearwardly and proximately that in which saidagitator plate rotates, substantially as described.

9. In a corn planter. the combination with a seed hopper and cooperatingdischarge chute, of a shaft journalcd below said seed hopper. a seedplate in the seed hopper geared to the shaft, a discharge valve in saidchute, a reciprocablc member adapted to actuate said discharge valve, acrank arm rotatable with rotation of said shaft and having a connectionwith said rcciprocable member to reciprocate same upon rotation of saidshaft.

10. In a corn planter, the combination with a seed hopper and dischargechute, of a seed plate rotatable in the seed hopper, a rotatable memberin gear connection with said seed plate, a discharge valve in saidchute, a reciprocable plunger adapted to actuate aid. discharge 'alve, alink in connection with said plunger and being eccentrically connectedto said rotatable member, and means for rotating said seed plate torotate said member and reciprocate said plunger.

11. In a corn plantcr,thc combination with a seed hopper and a dischargechute, of a seed plate rotatable in the seed hopper, a discharge valvein said chute, a member rotatable with rotation of said seed plate, andmeans connected to said rotatable member eccentrically, being inoperable relation With said dischargt valve and adapted to bereciprocated by rotation of said member and through said eccentricconnection to operate said discharge valve.

In a corn planter,thecombination with a seed hopper and discharge chute,of a shaft iournaled below said seed hopper, a seed plate in said seedhopper geared to said shaft, a discharge valve in said chute, a plung rrcciprocahlc in the chute to actuate said discharge valve, and aneccentric conneetion between said shaft and plunger, the rotation ofsaid shaft rotating the eccentric connection and reciprocating saidplunger to actuate said valve.

13. ln a corn planter, the combinati n with a seed hopper and adischarge chute, of a shaft journaled below said seed hopper, a nearupon said shaft, a seed plate in the seed hopper in a gear connectionwith said gear, a discharge valve in said chute, a plunger rc-,-ign'oc:'1bl=: to actuate said dis .iargc valve, a crank arm.connecting said gear and plunger, and means for rotating said shaft.

it. In a corn planter, the combination with a seed hopper and a ('OiI'tltli1;' discharge chute. an upper and a lower discharge valve in saiddi charge chute each valve being movable independently relative to theother, a reciprocable plunger in the chute having an ejecting shoulderfor each valve, and means for reciprocating said plunger toapsimultaneously actuate said outwardly inclined in a direction oppositeto l valves.

15. In a corn planter, the combination with a seed hopper and acooperating discharge chute, of a seed plate rotatable in the hopper, ashaft having a driving connection with the seed plate to rotate same,discharge valve means in the discharge chute including a reci ')roeablemember, a rotatable member having a driving connection With said shaft,and a link connected to said reciprocable member and having a connectionwith said rotatable member eccentric from the axis thereof, whereby uponrotation of said shaft said valve member may be reeiprocated throughrotation of said rotatable member.

16. In a corn planter, the combination with seed feeding mechanism and acooperating discharge chute, of discharge valve means in eluding areeiprocable member, a rotatable member, and a link connection betweenthe rotatable member and reeiprocable member for imparting areciprocating movement to said valve member by rotation of saidrotatable member.

FRANK P. MURPHEY.

\Vitnesses ELLA HAGENON, KATHARINE GULACII.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

